Foods high in iron plays a major role in our healthy lifestyle. The question is why anyone worries about the amount of iron present in our body. Iron is the key component of hemoglobin, the red coloring substance in the blood that carries oxygen from lungs to transport it throughout the body. The deficiency of iron leads to anemia. The main reason for the disease is unhealthy red blood cells, which carry the oxygen throughout the blood due to low iron content in the body. In this article, we are going to provide some best iron rich foods.
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency:
- General fatigue
- Weakness
- Pale skin
- Brittle nails
- Dizziness
- Tongue swelling or soreness
- Shortness of breath
- Cold feet and hands
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Headache
List of Foods High in Iron (Iron Rich Foods):
Contents
1.) Soya Beans High in Iron
Soya beans are very rich in iron content as only ½ cups of these legumes consist over 4mg of iron as well as they are also a brilliant source of copper. We all know that copper keeps the blood vessels and immune system healthy. On the other hand, manganese contained by the soya bean has essential nutrients to help in many chemical processes in the body. We have all aware of the fact that soya beans are high in minerals, but the discussion is not yet finished as they are also high in fiber and protein as well as many vitamins and amino acids.
2.) Beans High in Iron
Beans offers 4 to 8 mg of iron per cup that is why it is also a brilliant source of iron. The best thing about using beans is that you do not have to worry about the variety of beans as all the varieties of beans contain an almost identical amount of iron per cup. To get all possible advantage of beans pair them with foods like bell pepper, broccoli, and cauliflower which are all rich in vitamin C. Include beans in a salad, eat with raw vegetables and puree them into a dip.
3.) Pumpkin Seeds High in Iron
Pumpkin seeds contain 3.3mg of iron per cup, this amount is enough to get a brief idea about the benefits of pumpkin seeds. They are not only rich in iron, but also in omega-3 too. Tryptophan contained by pumpkin seeds helps in relaxing the body to give you a peaceful sleep. As it is also a very good source of protein, so consumption of pumpkin seed would also help you to increase protein intake. Pumpkin seeds also help us with heart and the prostate due to a good source of zinc and magnesium.
4.) Spinach High in Iron
The iron contains per cup of spinach is 3.5mg that makes it a useful food that one should take if they have an iron deficiency. It’s not necessary that only those people should consume spinach who have an iron deficiency, but a healthy person also includes spinach in salad and daily cooking. It helps our body fight against free radical due to its antioxidant properties. Consume organic spinach whenever possible as it gets easily absorbed, but the conventional spinach contains harmful chemical as pesticides were sprayed on them during the growing season. In addition to iron, spinach is also rich in phytonutrients which make it most valuable food item for health.
5.) Lentils High in Iron
Lentils gaining lots of appreciation as a health food due to their fiber content ability to get digested easily in the body. The iron content per cup is 3.3mg which is enough to include this food item in the list. Being a good source of iron, you should include lentils in your regular lineup. Purchase lentils in bulk from a local store, then boil them instead of buying them from a can. In this way, you will get more nutrients from lentils as well as you have full quality control, especially if you begin with organic lentils. Add lentils to a soup to get all the fiber and iron content in it.
6.) Olives High in Iron
You know olives as their herbal properties like antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, most of us hardly aware of the fact that the iron content in olives is 3.3mg (18% DV). This fairly high amount of iron in olives is enough to add them to the list of foods high in iron. There are various types of olives present out there around us, but you do not have to worry about choosing the right one for you. It does not matter which olive you pick, almost all of them contain the same amount of iron. The other constituents of olives are fiber and monounsaturated fat, which is considered as a healthy fat in the body. You do not have to consume too many olives as they are relatively high in sodium. Consume few olives daily to get an increase in iron level in the body.
7.) Beef High in Iron
Beef is tastier food items on our list with a high iron content of 2.9mg. Beef is relatively high in protein and that is why you should include it in your diet program. Avoid eating beef on a regular basis as it contains saturated fat that can be hazardous to your health. The additional benefits of eating beef are vitamins B and minerals like magnesium and potassium.
8.) Liver High in Iron
Any liver contains almost 23mg of iron in it, this will give sufficient amount of iron you need per day. The most common and easily available live in the local market is beef liver. It is recommended to buy organic liver if you can find it. The liver might not on your regular menu but you don’t have to worry about this as only 100 grams provide you more than a day’s value of iron.
9.) Squash High in Iron
We are now at the end of our list of foods high in iron, squash is a vegetable you can’t compare it with spinach but contains some amount of iron in it. The iron content in the squash is relatively low about 0.7mg (4% DV). But this value has some significance that is why it is on our list.
10.) Broccoli High in Iron
Everyone loves eating broccoli and you will feel good when you come to know that it has a fair amount of iron about 0.7mg. This is not the only reason for including broccoli in our list, but it also contains a good amount of fiber also. There are numerous fruits and vegetables that are rich in iron. Many of them are also packed with iron inhibitors. These inhibitors hinder iron absorption by the body. So, the effective absorption of iron decreases significantly. Fortunately, broccoli contains vitamin C besides iron, which helps body in absorbing iron.
11.) Collard Greens High in Iron
Collard greens are one of the best foods high in iron. They contain a huge amount of calcium, several cancer-fighting elements, and high levels of vitamin A. Vegetarians usually struggle in finding foods high in iron so they would love collard greens. Vegetarians have another reason to love these green veggies due high amount of vitamin C. To get ample benefits, use raw collard greens in a salad that also contains other iron-rich vegetables. Due to the presence of vitamin C in collard greens, it makes easy for your body to absorb iron.
12.) Dried Apricots High in Iron
Apricot is one of the best foods high in iron. Apricots are an excellent source of iron and vital other nutrients. You can consume apricots in either raw, canned, cooked, or dried form. We suggest you to consume dried apricots as it has most benefits and the largest amount of iron. Dried apricots lose their high sugar and water contents without losing their highly nutritious qualities. Just a half cup of dried apricots can provide you with up to 30% of your daily iron intake.
